General election news – live: Jo Swinson faces grilling from Andrew Neil as Boris Johnson continues to avoid interview
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Labour have suggested Downing Street may have “advised” Donald Trump on what to say about the NHS during his two-day trip to the UK. Shadow trade secretary Barry Gardiner said: “Maybe his visit to No 10 … schooled him in what he ought to say.”
It comes as video showed Justin Trudeau and other Nato leaders appearing to mock Mr Trump at a Buckingham Palace reception. A huddle, which included Boris Johnson, was filmed apparently gossiping about the president. Mr Johnson said the idea he had been laughing at Mr Trump was “complete nonsense”.
Jo Swinson has endured an awkward encounter with Extinction Rebellion protesters dressed as bees, one of whom glued himself to the Lib Dem campaign bus.
She later apologised for the Lib Dems backing welfare cuts while in power with the Tories in an appearance on BBC One’s The Andrew Neil Interviews.
Jeremy Corbyn said he would give the PM’s country residence Chequers to a homeless family if he wins.
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the general election campaign, with only eight days to go until we go to the polls.
Johnson risks Trump rift as he pushes tax on US tech giants
Boris Johnson has risked clashing with Donald Trump during the president’s visit to London by insisting he will press ahead with a new tax on US tech giants.
The prime minister firms such as Google, Amazon and Facebook “need to make a fairer contribution” – and suggested he “deplores” Washington’s retaliatory action against France for imposing a similar levy.
Trump has threatened to slap import tariffs worth almost £2bn annually on French goods including cheese, champagne and handbags after the introduction of a digital services which the US says will penalise tech firms.
The president addressed it on Tuesday by saying: “Look, I’m not in love with those companies – Facebook, Google and all of them. But they are American companies.”
One-on-one meeting with Trump ‘very good,’ says Johnson
Arriving for the 70th anniversary meeting of Nato leaders near Watford on Wednesday morning, Boris Johnson said Britain’s commitment to the alliance remained “rock solid”.
“Clearly it is very important that the alliance stays together, but there is far, far more that unites us than divides us,” he said.
Johnson said he had a “very good” bilateral meeting with Donald Trump on Tuesday evening.
“We discussed the future of Nato, we discussed what is going on in Syria and various other matters,” he said.
Boris Johnson arrives for Nato meeting near Watford (PA)
Former Tory health secretary denies NHS drug prices ‘on the table’ with US
The Tory leadership contender Jeremy Hunt has insisted he was not aware of any talks between UK and US politicians while he was health secretary on NHS drugs pricing.
Hunt, the former health secretary who left his post as foreign secretary when Boris Johnson became PM, said: “When I was health secretary, I wasn’t aware of any talks going on with the United States at all.”
Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he added: “In so far as there have been preliminary discussions between officials on both sides, not between politicians, we have made absolutely clear that NHS drugs prices are not on the table.”
He continued: “I’m afraid this is the traditional scare story. What would really damage the NHS are economic policies that destroy jobs in the economy and destroy the tax base that the NHS depends on.
“We have at the moment a very, very radical economic platform from John McDonnell which would do immense damage to our tax base and therefore our ability to fund the NHS.”
PM was ‘wrong’ to politicise terror attack, says Tory candidate
A Tory election candidate has said Boris Johnson was “wrong” to use the language he did in response to the London Bridge attack.
Fay Jones, speaking on the BBC Wales Live election debate on Tuesday night, said: “I don’t think the prime minister or anybody should be using this as a political exercise.”
Asked if the prime minister was wrong to have spoken the way he did about sentencing and prisoner release, the candidate for Brecon & Radnorshire: “Yes, he was.”
The Lib Dem candidate Steffan John also condemned the PM. “It was clear that Boris did play games on this and he saw an advantage,” he said on the live debate.
“We have people risking their lives and showing their bravery and he’s essentially dodging questions and avoiding stepping up to the plate and answering interviews.”
Trudeau caught gossiping about Trump at Buckingham Palace
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and other Nato leaders appeared to mock Donald Trump at a Buckingham Palace drinks reception on Tuesday evening.
A huddle which included Boris Johnson and Princess Anne was filmed apparently gossiping about the US president’s unorthodox style, although Trump is not mentioned by name.
During the casual chat, as the leaders sipped drinks, Johnson can be heard asking French President Emmanuel Macron: “Is that why you were late?”
Trudeau says: “He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top.”
Later in the conversation Mr Trudeau adds: “You just watched his team’s jaws drop to the floor.”
A video clip of the chat, filmed as world leaders met ahead of a summit to mark Nato’s 70th anniversary, has been viewed almost four million times since it was posted online.
Labour suggest No 10 ‘schooled’ Trump on what to say about NHS
Labour have suggested Downing Street may have advised Donald Trump what to say about the NHS during his two-day trip to the UK.
Shadow trade secretary Barry Gardiner said: “Whilst President Trump has now back-tracked on what he said previously about everything’s on the table in a trade negotiation, he appears to be saying, ‘No, no – it’s not’. I wondered where he’s got that advice from? Maybe his visit to No 10 earlier in the day schooled him in what he ought to say.”
One Trump’s denial he was interested in the NHS, and the Tories’ insistence the health service is not for sale, Gardiner later told BBC Breakfast: “I’m sorry, I don’t believe what President Trump is saying.”
“The NHS is not a building, not a piece of real estate that one sells … it’s a series of services, and you sell the ability to sell those services. And if that is privatise companies, American health care companies, American drug companies that are providing those services, then the profit is being sucked out of the system.
“It’s an undermining by stealth that is going on here – but we need to understand it.”
US health firms believe Brexit will make it easier to hike NHS drug prices, document reveals
US health firms are confident it will be easier to gain access to the NHS and hike the price of medicines after Brexit, a newly-revealed document shows.
The prospectus sets out how pharmaceutical companies will demand new rules that “prohibit discrimination” against foreign suppliers and end “restrictions on the number of suppliers”.
Written by the US Chamber of Commerce last month, it notes the failed effort to strike a deal with the EU, which collapsed partly because of fears over opening up public health services.
And, crucially, it states: “Concerns about potential impacts on Britain's National Health Service are being aired.
“It should prove easier to overcome these challenges with the UK as an individual negotiating partner.”
More details here:
Lib Dems claims Melania Trump sending ‘coded message’
According to Sam Gyimah, the former Tory standing for the Lib Dems in Kensington, Melania Trump was sending you a message to vote for Jo Swinon’s party by wearing yellow to a Downing Street reception. He / the party is joking. Probably.
Proxy voting deadline looming at 5pm
Jeremy Corbyn has reminded everyone about a new deadline: for proxy votes. You can get someone else to vote in your place if you can’t get to the polling station on 12 December – so long as you register by 5pm today.
The Labour leader claims: “The Conservatives don’t want you to vote. So make sure you can.”
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